Archive for September, 2015

Tagine or tajine is named after the earthen pot it is cooked in. Traditionally, this one pot meal was cooked slowly over hot coals and consisted of meat and vegetables much like a stew. This version is vegetarian with the hearty meatiness coming from the chickpeas and the smokiness coming from the Moroccan standard Ras el Hanout spices.

Witness a collection of live music photography and portraits. “Shooting Stars” is a powerful exhibition from the past seven years, documenting national and international acts as well as the rise of Houston’s vibrant and emerging music scene.

Trish Badger is a Houston-based photographer whose career is built upon an extensive range of portrait, music, commercial and event photography. She has been capturing live music in venues large and small for the past seven years. Her keen eye behind the lens and passion for music have given her the opportunity to document some of the world’s most prestigious musicians, while at the same time being an outspoken champion for Houston’s music scene.

All artwork will be available for purchase. Exhibition organized by Jonathan Bietler.

OPENING RECEPTION: Meet the artist on Thursday, September 24, 2015, 7:30-10:30PM
EXHIBITION: September 24 – November 29, 2015
COST: Free admission. Food and drinks will be available for purchase.

Noemi came to Houston four years ago after living in Waller Texas, a very small town, northwest of Houston. She moved here to be closer to her aunts whom were living here and she hoped a bigger city might provide more opportunities for her 8-year old son. As she began looking for places to work, she came to Phoenicia excited about interacting with different people and cultures; it was hard at first because the food and customs were new to her but after being at Phoenicia over a year, it felt like home. While moving to a large city can be overwhelming, working at Phoenicia provides the comforts that she had living in a small town; regular customers, a warm-homey atmosphere and people who really care about each other. It took a while to reach that comfort level, the customers and their customs were very different from what she was used to but she found it was easier when she identified things that made them the same. Noemi smiles when she thinks about how similar cultures and food are; the pita often reminds her of tortillas from her home country and we laughed as we talked about how many of our wonderful breads, tortillas and pitas are used in lieu a fork and knife!

Noemi is a wonderful ambassador for customers who aren’t familiar with Mediterranean food; her first suggestion to a timid palate is our delicious hummus with fresh pita bread or flat breads with cheese- you can’t go wrong! Noemi always encourages people to try food, she tells them, “When you try it you like it!” You will often find her sampling her favorites like Baklava, Turkish delight, pita bread and the famous Zorab’s Italian Spices with olive oil and yummy fresh bread to very appreciative customers! With so many YUMMY choices at Phoenicia she asks herself daily, “What am I going to eat?” The answer is often Chicken Shawarma and with her favorite bakery a scrumptious fresh fruit tart.

As a manager at Phoenicia she enjoys teaching and managing people to be their best and she flourishes under the responsibility that it brings, she is eager to learn new things and her passion for Phoenicia is always evident, it even spills over to her young son…next to visiting the zoo, her son who would rather come visit Phoenicia than do anything! He visits often and you can be sure he is a good boy with a bright future!

Noemi is very impressed with the wedding cakes that they make in the bakery, she was always afraid of taking big special orders but now it is second nature to her. She attributes much of her confidence to working with Don, he is a great baker and a very kind, understanding teacher, with his gentle guidance she is learning so much and simply having him there makes things easier. While she struggled keeping things neat and organized, as they remodeled the bakery, the outcome was well worth it…the ice cream cakes that Phoenicia now offers in the bakery area are delicious and strawberry cake is her favorite!

Your travels may take you around the globe, but when you are at Phoenicia you are a part of our family and you can bet that Noemi is working hard to make sure Phoenicia is your home away from home!

As a proud sponsor of Society for the Performing Arts, we are pleased to offer ticketholders:

• Half off select bottles of wine
• $8 charcuterie & cheese plates

Upon ordering, simply present your same-day ticket for any SPA performance of the 2016-17 season.

Special Phoenicia perks to SPA Performances

You can take part in SPA Houston show perks tailored specifically for Phoenicia customers. When purchasing tickets for the show of your choice on the SPA Houston website, simply enter the discount code phoenicia. Gain access to tickets before they are released to the public and receive discounts on select shows.